Mar, Jojo, Grace & Duterte: Take your pick

By Al S. Mendoza

MAR Roxas said he will continue P-Noy’s “daang matuwid” (straight path) program.

Jojo Binay said he will transform the country into another Makati.

“Daang matuwid” is corruption elimination per se.

The Philippines becoming another Makati is giving a cake to every senior citizen of the republic on his/her birthday.

At least Mar and Jojo both have clear programs.

In surveys, Jojo leads Mar in the presidential derby.

But the election is still months away, in May 2016.

Besides, surveys are not the final arbiters of any contest.

In 2013, Grace Poe wasn’t No. 1 in the surveys but Jinggoy Estrada.

Grace emerged topnotcher.

In 2010, Mar consistently topped the surveys, only to lose to Jojo in that year’s VP race.

You want more history?

In the Sixties, the prediction was an 8-0 sweep for Nacionalista Party’s candidates for senator.

Gerry Roxas spoiled that as he became the lone Liberal Party winner.

And who is Gerry again?

Mar’s father.

I was in elementary school when Gerry Roxas came to our house in Mangatarem campaigning.

My mother (she’s with Dear God now) was then the barangay captain and our house was the town’s LP HQ.

Now to Grace Poe again.

Is she running for president? 

“Yes, she is,” said a staff of Sen. Chiz Escudero. 

The lady, who does regular yoga at writer Sol Juvida’s exclusive session, also said Chiz will be Grace’s running mate.

“She should declare now as her dilly-dallying is beginning to irritate even her admirers,” said Sol to Chiz’s staff.

And what about Digong Duterte?

The nation’s Dirty Harry has yet to also declare his readiness to run for president, even as he insists federalism is what is best for the country.

Federalism, American style, is making power divided between the national government and local governments and putting emphasis on autonomy of local government units.

Duterte, Davao City’s iron-fisted mayor, has a shortcut to adopting federalism:  Establish a revolutionary government as that does away, temporarily, with the existing Constitution.

It is a radical approach to governance, one that will totally dismantle the foundations of our existing form of political institution.

But it deserves serious study, if only because Duterte’s formula sounds sound and logical.

While Grace has done nothing but procrastinate, here is Duterte loudly proclaiming his reforms for the good of all as he diligently gathers allies, who now number in millions, to his side.

Thus, if and when he has filled up his armory and his arsenal of weapons is ripe for war, Duterte might yet make our day beyond compare—minus criminals.

Do you know that Duterte’s favorite song is, “MacArthur’s Park?”

I know.  I have done a duet of that Richard Harris classic with Duterte at Ken Angeles’ Yellow Fin Tuna pub house in Davao City a lot of times already.

Each time, nobody had dared throw tomatoes at us.

If Dirty Harry’s in the building, applause overflows.

(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)

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